Pile-driver.



H. B. STRONG. PILE DRIVER. APPLICATION FILED rm. 24,1908.

I Patented Oct/27,1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY B. STRONG, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

FILE-DRIVER.

Application filed February 24, 1908.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY B. STRONG, a citizen of the United States, resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement 1n Pile-Drivers, of which the following is a specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

This invention relates to pile driving apparatus and has as its object the provision of a pile driver particularly adapted to the driving of piles below the operative or working level upon. which it is necessary to mount the machine proper. To the accomplishment of this and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain mech anism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing: Figure 1 is a broken front elevation of a pile driver embodying my several improvements and Fig. 2 is a transverse cross section of the same taken on. the line 2-2, Fig. 1.

As is well known it frequently becomes necessary in connection with pile driving operations, as in the building of coffer dams for the foundations of buildings, or other similar structures, to drive piling at a considerable de th below the level upon which the driver is eing worked. In such operations it has heretofore been necessary either to have the piling of excessive length in order to bring it within reach of the pile driver and at the same time penetrate to the desired depth, or else the pit must be made large enough to permit the entire driver to be lowered into it. This is obviously expensive especially when the pit is wet, in which latter case the uncertainty of operative conditions is a further objectionable feature. By the present apparatus these several difficulties are entirely overcome and in a very simple fashion, adding practically in no wise to the complication of the device and yet at the same time permitting of the driving of the piling down into the ground to the required depth, there- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2'7, 1908.

Serial No. 417,243.

i expense of operation involved in cutting off the top of the piling as under the prevailing practice.

The structure will be seen, by reference to w the several figures of the drawing already described, to comprise a fixed support A which forms a part'ofthe usual leaders characterizing apparatus of the class in hand. Such pile river frame rests, when in use, on the ground or suitable foundations that repre sent the working or operative level, such level being designated in Fig. 1 by the line x9c. Supporting frame A includes in the type of structure here presented, a vertically disposed guide-way formed by the inner faces of the leaders at, and slidably held in such guide-way is a frame B composed of auxiliary leaders, or guides b, suitably joined and braced so as to be movable as an inte gral structure up and down in the frame. Such auxiliary frame B is of such a length as to be adapted to project any required distance below the level 03-90, in order to follow the head of the pile being driven to a corresponding depth.

The hammer C, whereby the actual driving operation is performed, is designed to be attached to the lower end of extensible frame B, so as to be adapted to contact directly with the upper end of the pile, or on the pro tecting plate or cap covering the same. The. manner in which the hammer is thus secured to frame B will depend upon whether it is a simple weighted hammer, or a steam hammer. The latter, being the preferred form, is the one illustrated. So far as it needs to be considered in relation to the subject matter of the present invention such steam hammer comprises a steam-cylinder 0, a piston 0 reciprocable therein and bearing a ram 0 and a cap 0 adapted to rest upon the top of a pile such as D. Cylinder c and cap 0 are rigidly attached to the auxiliary guides b of frame B, which extend downwardly one on each side of the same, and the cap is provided with an opening a through which the plungerportion 0 of ram 0 is permitted to extend, thus contacting directly with the pile D or with such protective plate as may be placed on top of the same.

In operation, as will be readily understood, steam 1s admitted into cylinder 0 to raise the piston and attached ram, which latter is then allowed to fall of its own weight. As fast as the pile is driven down under the repeated by obviating both the loss of material and 1 blows of the ram, the frame B, which through cap a rests on such pile, will-follow the latter, and that to whatever depth it may penetrate the material in which it is being driven. When the driving operation has been thus completed frame B with attached hammer C is raised through the medium of a line b passing around a block b on theup er end of cylinder 0, such line being connected with the hoisting mechanism (not shown) usually provided in apparatus of the class in hand. When the frame B is thus raised, it will be obvious that the pile driver may be shifted from one station to another with no additional inconvenience because of the presence of such frame, for it will be retracted wholly within the supporting structure of the pile driver proper.

Where, as suggested, the more simple weighted hammer is substituted for steam hammer C, the whole extensible frame B will require to be raised and lowered to deliver successive blows of the hammer.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any one of thelollowing claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a pile driver, the combination of a fixed support, leaders or guides adjustably mounted in said support, and a hammer mounted fixedly upon said leaders or guides so as to move up and down with the same, said leaders or guides extending upwardly beyond said hammer, whereby the latter may be lowered below said support.

2. In a pile driver, the combination of a fixed support including a vertically disposed guide-way, leaders or guides slidably held in said guide-way, and a hammer mounted fixedly upon said leaders or guides so as to move up and down with the same, said leaders or guides extending upwardly beyond saidhammer, whereby the latter may be lowered below said guide-way.

8. In a pile driver, the combination of a fixed support adapted to rest on the normal working level, said support including a vertically disposed guide-way, leaders or guides slidably held in said guide-way, and a hammer mounted fixedly within the lower ends of said leaders or guides so as to move up and down with the same, said leaders or guides extending upwardly beyond said hammer,

whereby the latter may be lowered below such working level.

4. In a pile driver, the combination of a fixed support ada ted to rest on the normal mal working level said support including a vertically disposed guide-way, leaders or guides slidably held in said guide-way, and a steam hammer mounted fixedly within the lower end of said leaders or guides so as to move up and down with the same, said leaders or guides extending upwardly beyond said hammer for a sufficient distance to permit the latter to be lowered entirely below such working level.

Signed by me this 21 day of February,

HARRY B. STRONG.

Attested by D. T. DAVIES, JNo. F. OBERLIN. 

